Last.



P. H. HICKMAN.

LAST.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. s. 1915.

1 207 038. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR M WM flm MM A TTOR/VE V BATRICK H. HIQKMAN, OF IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF T0 THOMAS ALOYSIUS HICKIIIAN, OF IRVING'I'GN, NEW JERSEY.

LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed February 5, 1915. Serial No. 6,335.

'1 b all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. HICK- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Irvington, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe lasts.

One object is to provide a shoe last particularly adapted for lasting purposes. and which embodies toe and heel portions swingingly connected together, one of said portions being expansible and contractible under the influence of the connections between the toe and heel portions.

Another object resides in the provision of a shoe last embodying, among other characteristics. toe and heel portions which are so connected together that the heel portion is forced normally to its extended position with relation to the toe portion.

A still further object resides in the provision of a peculiarly formed connection between the toe and heel portions of a last whereby the connection rigidly connected to one portion of the last and has slidablo connection only with another portion of the last.

It is still further designed to provide a shoe last embodying toe and heel portions having a connection between them which is so constructed, mounted, and operated that the usual pivotal connection of said connection with one of the parts is obviated.

ith the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the last expanded. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the last contracted. Fig. 3 is a face View of the plate for connecting the heel and toe portions together. Fig. 1 is an edge view of said connecting plate. Fig. 5 is detail view of the spring which cooperates with the plate in connecting the toe and heel portions together. Y

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the reference characters 10 and 11 indicate the toe and heel portions respectively of the last, the toe portion having an expansible and contractiblo section 12, and the heel portion having a common type of socket 13, whereby the last may be positioned upon a suitable support. Said expansible and contractible portion 12 is formed by slitting the body of the toe portion 10,- but it may be formed in any other suitable manner,

The toe and heel portions are adapted to abut and in their abutting relation swing relative to each other over a curved line 14. The heel portion 11 has a recess 15 adapted to aline or coincide with a recess 16 formed in the toe portion, and which recess 16 extends into the expansible and contractible section 12, as indicated at 17, there being a pin 18 in the recessed portion 17 of the section 12, this pin being insertible by being driven transversely through the last, the purpose of which pin will be later explained.

The toe portion is provided with a cylindrical or other shaped socket 19, which is arranged slightly in rear of the extension 12 and which intersects the recess 16. The connecting plate 20 is secured rigidly in the recess 15 of the heel portion 11 by means of suitable pins 20, which are preferably driven through the heel portion of the last transversely of the latter. This plate 20 extends into the recess 16 of the toe portion 10 and projects transversely through the aforesaid socket 19 of the toe portion. The plate has three curved slots 21, 22, and 23, the slot 23 extending into the nose portion 24 and receiving the aforesaid pin 18 of the extension 12. The slots 21, and 22 slidably embrace pins 25 and 26, adapted to be inserted through the hollow portion transversely of the last. This plate 20 also has a peculiarly formed opening 27 having three straight edges and an inclined front edge 27. A spring 28, which is preferably of helical form, is disposed in the aforesaid socket 19 and adapted to fit within the peculiarly formed opening 27 of the plate 20, with its lower end resting upon the lower edge of said opening. The upper end of the spring 28 is provided with an eye 29, adapted to take a pin 30 inserted transversely of said socket and through the last, whereby the spring, which is normally expanded, may be contracted by the plate 20 upon swinging movement of the heel portion 11 toward the rear end of the extension 12 of the toe portion, and whereby the spring may force the heel portion normally to its extended position with relation to the toe portion; that is, away from the rear end of the extension 12 of the toe portion.

From the foregoing it will be understood that by virtue of the peculiar formation of the plate 20 and the fact that the spring 28 is mounted in the opening 27 of the plate 20, the heel portion 11 is forced under the tension of the normally expanded spring 28 to its extended position with relation to the toe portion. In other words, when the toe and heel portions are swung to contracted position, they must be held in such position, for immediately upon being released, the spring 28 acting upon the plate 20 will force the toe and heel portions apart, as shown in Fig. 1. The slots 21 and 22 in the plate, by virtue of sliding over the pins 25 and 26, guide the heel portion with relation to the toe portion, while the slot 23, by reason of its slidable relation with the pin 18, causes the extension 12 to assume its normalexpanded relation with the body of the toe portion as shown in Fig. 1, and causes the extension 12 to contract with relation to the body of the toe portion when the heel and toe portions are contracted; that is,

caused to assume the position shown in Fig, 2.

What is claimed is: 1. In a last, a toe portion, a heel portion,

a plate rigidly supported by the heel portion section,'there being an opening formed in L said plate and a spring housed within said opening and interposed between the toe section and the plate for normally maintaining the heel and toe portions in extended position.

In a last, a toe portion, a heel portion, a plate rigidly secured to the heel portion and having sliding connection with the toe portion, said toe portion including an expansible and contractible section, said plate having a sliding connection with said section, there being an opening formed in said plate, a lug projecting from the plate into said opening, and a coiled spring having one of its terminal convolutions embracing said lug, the other terminal of said spring being connected to the toe portion, the normal tendency of the spring being to maintain the toe and heel portions in extended position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK H. HIOKMAN. Witnesses:

EMIL O. KERN, ADAM A. .REISING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

